=Helios 15=

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5rZpdHfT1Y-
>Thursday
>The sun was high in the sky as you walked down the street.
>For a moment you wondered if She could see you from it, if she was watching you still.
>Those thoughts last about as long as you let the other thoughts you have of Her last.
>Gone in an instant.
>You adjust the shovel on your shoulder as you walk.
>They didn't have traditional weapons in Appleoosa so you had to improvise.
>There had been reports of a few "undesirables" in town lately, you were gonna root them out.
>You walked around the town, asking anyp0ny if they had noticed anything suspicious about their neighbors.
>Based on their information, you went around town and gathered up who you thought fit the bill.
>Chasing down Blueblood wasn't the only detective work you had ever done.
>You lead your posse of five to the outskirts of town, wanting to avoid any scene.
>Once you reached the town limits, you turned back to everyone.
"Afternoon everyone."
>Mayor Buckington stepped forward. "Anonymous? What is all this about?"
"Glad you asked sir."
>You plant your shovel on the ground.
"A while ago an army of Changelings tried to crash the Royal Wedding, as I'm sure you all know."
>They all nod.
"When they got thrown out, they got sent back to the wastes where they came from."
"But here's the deal, I've gotten word that some of them may have snuck into town and disguised themselves."
>You take a few steps toward the group.
"So I'm gonna be asking ya'll a few questions, how you answer will determine your authenticity."
>You grab your shovel and spin it around onto your shoulder.
"Ya dig?"

>Alright, let's do this.
"At the Mild West Dance last Sunday, Sandy Shoes drank too much cider and fell into the trough, right?"
>Your entourage nods.
>"Fell right in." Buckington said.
>Tornado Dancer nodded "Like a lummox." 
>"One Tartarus of a date..." His sister Twister said.
>Rawhide and Saloon Scalper nodded as well. "I remember that." "That was a hoot."
>Hmm...
"And when we had to repair the engine of the train before the next one came in, when was that?"
>"Last Wednesday."
>"Round Noon Ah think."
>"Powerful hot that day."
>"Yeah."
>"Close call that day."
>It's like they don't even try...
>You step towards them.
"Where were ya'll 4 days ago?"
>"Goon' over plans for the new water tower."
>"Ah was workin' the Orchard."
>"Tch. Drinkin' ta ferget."
>"Spent all day with Sandy."
>"Paintin'"
>Paydirt...
>You stepped closer to Rawhide.
"Raw, Sandy was at the Mild West Dance, he passed out in the trough and had to be pulled out."
>His face plummets.
"How could he be with you?"
>The others back away from "Rawhide" as he stammers.
>"No- I was- Me and Sandy were-..."
>He glances around. "Aw, horseapples!"
>A small green pyre ignites around the pony before you and a black chitinous bug leaps out-
>-Right into your shovel.
>As it hits the ground twitching, you press your knee to its neck.
"Alright, we found him. Can I ask you guys to head back to town now?"
>The assembled ponies watched with a mix of shock and fear.
>"Y-yes, of course Anonymous. Come on everyp0ny, let's leave the Sheriff to his work..."

>You had dragged the Changeling to the edge of some rocky hills outside town and dumped him there.
"Don't let me find you in here again." You said.
>It had scuttled off into the hills without a word and you took that as the end of it.
>You were walking back into town now, intent on going about the rest of your day.
>Braeburn it seemed had other plans.
>"Hey, Anonymous! Ya got a visitor in your house!"
>What?
"Who?
>Braeburn shook his head.
>"Didn't say. She just stepped off the train a while ago n' started askin' for ya."
>She?
>She...She wouldn't...
"What did "She" look like?"
>Braeburn looked over his shoulder back at your house.
>"Can't rightly say, she had this real fancy hood up 'round her head."
>...Great.
>You sigh.
"I'm gonna be a bit Brae, think you can hold down the town for me?"
>You catch his concerned glances as you walk down the street. "Uh, sure Anon. Expectin' trouble?"
>You don't know.
>Never dumped a Sun Goddess before.

>You cracked open the door to your house and stepped in.
>Standing by your desk was a pony in a regal looking cloak.
>Whoever it was, they were too small to be Celestia.
>But that cloak was definitely Canterlot...
>The hood was pulled up, hiding their features.
>You were about to confront them when they spoke up.
>"Hello Anonymous."
>Oh hell...you knew that voice...
"Hey...Cadence."
>The Crystal Princess lowered her hood to reveal her dour face.
>Cadence had more or less ceased her intermittent trips to Canterlot after what had happened with Shining.
>Last you had heard she was peacefully tending to her own kingdom, trying to heal the hole in her heart her husband had left.
>And now she was here...
>"You look well Anonymous." She says with a small smile.
>How the hell do you handle this? You had hooked up with Celestia only hours after you got her husband killed...
"Thanks. I feel...well."	
>The smile evaporates.
>"I came here to speak to you...about "that"."
>Oh hell!
"I don't want to talk about "that"."
>"It's important Anonymous."
"I left to get away from "that" Cadence, don't try and drag me right back-"
>"Princess Celestia has been rendered lethargic by your leaving, I'm only hear to give you the full story."

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1vqCmY58Do&-
>You stop with your door handle in your palm.
>"Celestia was crushed after you left. She locked herself in her room for who knows how long and only recently started leaving."
>Aha!
"There, see? She's fine. I'm fine. We're both fine."
>"She has been leaving without a bodyguard, Anon."
>Your bodyguard senses start to tingle.
>You wheel around and face Cadence.[spoiler][/spoiler] "What!? That's idiotic! Why is she doing that?"
>Cadence shakes her head. 
>"She says that she cannot get another bodyguard. Not after what happened with you."
>Cadence looks out the window as the sun moves across the sky.
>"When my aunt goes on her rounds of Canterlot on her own, all anyp0ny says is how sad she looks."
>"I asked her and do you know what she told me? She said that there is nowhere in the city she cannot go where she isn't reminded of -you- Anon. Even back when you were just friends I don't think you understood how much that meant to her."
"And I don't think you understand what happened Cadence. I FELT her thoughts in my head. I could FEEL her affection for me and it...I-I don't think I can do that..."
>It was Cadence's turn to sigh.
>"Anonymous, did you know my aunt was in love once? EXACTLY once?"
>"It was back when she was young. He died before she could confess to him."
>"You can imagine how that would affect a young immortal."
>You ran your hand through your hair as you thought it through.
>That's one hell of a way to end a first love story...
>"For the longest time, Aunt Celestia played the part of the dutiful queen caring about only running her kingdom and the subjects in it."
>A smile tugged at Cadence's mouth. "But...then you showed up Anon." 

>"Celestia talked with you Anon, not to you but -with- you."
>Cadence's grin grew.
>"She saw another oddity in the world and she latched onto it."
>"Over time, you became the first real friend she had had in eons."
>Whoa.
"What about Twilight? And all her other students?"
>You remember that big wall she had.
>Cadence shook her head. "They were just that Anon. Students. Dear to Celestia's heart, yes. But the Student/Teacher relationship was still an impenetrable wall on their path to true friendship."
"Then why me?"
>Cadence smiled. "You met my aunt as a true person Anon. You didn't see the immortal sun bringer or the head of state, you saw the pony underneath all of that."
>"At least...before you entered the guard."
"Whoa, are you saying that my JOB is what caused this?"
>"A part of it yes. Once you became my aunts guard, you began to only see her as your charge and not as just her."
>"That did not stop her, however. You were still her friend and now you were just closer. Over time the affection grew, especially after you would protect her from something."
>You remembered some of the times you stopped an attempt on Celestia's life.
"Are you trying to talk me into going back?"
>Cadence sighs as she heads to the door. "All I came here to do is tell you what was happening with Celestia and to hopefully shed some light on her reasons for doing...what she did."
>She stops at the door.
>"All I ask that you do Anonymous is think on your own feelings."
"What, you're trying to make me feel love now?"
>Cadence lets out a small giggle.
>"Perhaps I don't need to?"
>With that she walked out, leaving you alone with your thoughts again.